This was conveyed by Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh to US Ambassador Nancy Powell when she met him at South Block in Delhi. Singh firmly put across to the US envoy that "it is your process and you have to sort it out", sources said.

New Delhi's assertion assumes significance in the context of the January 13 deadline for the indictment in New York of senior diplomat Khobragade on visa fraud charges. US said in December 2013 that it is proceeding with the prosecution of Khobragade and has no intention of withdrawing the case of visa fraud against her.

India has been demanding the withdrawal of the case against her and an apology from US for the treatment meted out to the 39-year-old diplomat, including a strip search and detention with criminals after her arrest on December 12.

The incident led to strong protests by the Indian government and widespread indignation in India. At the time of her arrest, Khobragade was the Deputy Consul General in New York. She was subsequently transferred to India's Permanent Mission to UN.

Khobragade, a 1999-batch IFS officer, was arrested on charges of making false declarations in a visa application for her maid Sangeeta Richard. She was released on a USD 250,000 bond.